Oaks Park Roller Rink in Portland, OR

I hadn't been here on over 50 years, and was so happy to see the place has changed very little in all all that time. The music from the Wurltzer Theater Pipe Organ is amazing! The Organ was orginally used in the Oriental Theater in Portland with the silent films in the 20's and was moved to the Oaks in the 50's. The floor was redesigned after serveral floods of the nearby Willamette River to be able to float towards the roof so not to be ruined by the water. I know this was done successfully in the big flood in 1963.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Theater
• Pipe
• Organ
• Oaks
• Park
• Roller
• Rink

[CheesyHug]

I go here like every month when its open. Same with the Oregon zoo. I love Portland.

[kiggsia]

@Iconotark Well, I'll be cow-kicked! I couldn't tell any difference from Keith Fortune's style that I heard in the other youtube uploads!

[Iconotark]

This organ came from the Broadway Theater in Portland and was installed at the Oaks in the mid 50's. The Oriental organ ended up at the Organ Grinder in Portland, and it's console later went to Uncle Milt's Pizza in Vancouver when the Organ Grinder put in a 4 manual console. The 13 ranks of pipes from the Oriental were the core of the Organ Grinder, and remained there until it closed in the 90's.

[Iconotark]

@kiggsia That's actually Gary Russell playing in this video. Also, his rendition of King Of The Road.

[djrepasky]

Spent all my early childhood birthdays here! Great memories! Filmed an episode of Leverage here. Have to show my mom this video as this is where my dad first bumped into her ;D

[djrepasky]

Spent all my early childhood birthdays here! Great memories!

[scottgallegos]

omg thank you for posting this as it is just like seeing an old friend of my long lost past! the many summers spent there skating and just being a kid was well worth the effort . thanks again and a big hello to an old friend from and old friend!

[kiggsia]

Mr. Fortune does an especially great job on "King Of The Road" in this video, my favorite of his Wurlitzer songs. Thanks so much for sharing WA7HOI. I sure wish Portland wasn't so far from my town-Toledo Ohio!

[famousPhotog]

Probably the nicest vintage roller skating rink in the USA, a real treasure. Great floor for freestyle routines!

[MystiqueRisingSun]

OMG it's HUGE! I can't wait to skate there in a month!